Liverpool Transfers: 10 Boyhood Reds Fans The Club Should Have Signed
2. Theo Walcott
Theo Walcott may be part of the furniture in North London now as he embarks upon his 12th season at the Emirates, but it was down the road at Stamford Bridge where he used to fetch balls as a youth. Admittedly, it was only for one game - a tie with Liverpool.
It was a ploy on the behalf of the Chelsea scouts to convince the talented youngster to swap his Southampton ties for London, gently bribing him with the opportunity to serve as the ballboy against his favourite team. Considering the club would be fined for tapping up Ashley Cole a couple of years later, it’s not that big a surprise.
“They invited me to come down for the Liverpool match because I was a Liverpool fan. I remember Liverpool lost 2-0 and I didn’t get a touch of the ball but at least I got to watch it. And I met some of the players - Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen - afterwards in the dressing room. It’s funny because when I went to the World Cup I showed Michael a picture of it.” - Theo Walcott, February 2007.
The speedy youngster chose the academy of Southampton, which has acted as a conveyor belt of talent in recent times, rather than decorate the Chelsea reserves. As for Liverpool however, they have gone through their fair share of dodgy wingers in the last 15 years, from Jermaine Pennant to Joe Cole. They might just feel they missed a trick with this particularly passionate Kopite.